Mike Tyson vs Joe Frazier (Ring TV Opinion)

I think Frazier will make him crazy just as Holyfield did, maybe even knock him out. But if loosing to Mike, it would be via knockout. Would be an interesting fight.

 

No lateral movement compared to Tyson though.
Of the 2 I'd sooner have Frazier but I can't see Joe, even the March 31st 1971 version, beating Tyson.
Tyson didn't have optics problems either

 

According to the books out Joe's eyes were much much worse than anyone imagined. Especially the one eye. Can't remember which now but some books claim he was pretty much blind in one eye as early as the late 60's

 

I think he had an accident while battering a speed ball or floor to ceiling ball.
Ending up with a bit of metal in his eye that impaired his vision.
Makes what he did later in his career all the more remarkable

 

I agree Frazier had the better defense. His head movement was less "robotic" for lack of a better term and more importantly he maintained it throughout an entire fight.

I would also give Frazier an edge in durability.

The other topics I listed were inarguably in Frazier's favor though which is why I listed them to establish it's at best silly to say Tyson had the edge everywhere. It's simply not true.

I'm not even necessarily saying Frazier's advantages would lead him to victory in this bout.

 

I think it was Larry Merchant when asked about this matchup who said "Tyson's a mile wide and an inch deep. Frazier's a mile wide and a mile deep."

 

All I know is I want this fight to be called The Battle of the Hookers.

 

Tyson by brutal KO, he's all wrong for Frazier.

 

Hahah….fighting for primeval “rights” to the street corner, King being the obvious pimp in the equation.

 

Just imo, Joe is a justifiable underdog.

There are no pretences - if forced to bet the house, I would likely bet on Mike.

However, it’s sometimes instinctive to look at all possible ways for the underdog to overcome their identified disadvantages.

What, if anything, can we “talk up” in Joe’s favour?

Would Joe try to move more as he did in the Foreman rematch and would/could it be effective to buy some crucial time?

Could Tyson land as many powerful punches as Foreman did from the very outset - is such domination possible to replicate via Tyson’s own style and physical dimensions?

Joe did keep arising against Foreman but the bombs kept coming and the shoving continued, repeatedly putting Joe into perfect range - that wouldn’t be Tyson’s MO.

It’s true that Joe didn’t hold or manhandle - he kept it as up close and personal as was possible via the purest means. So that preferred tactic is reasonably perceived to be out the window, as @JohnThomas1 has already pointed out.

Instead or otherwise, could Joe keep the pressure and proximity tight enough to offset Tyson’s short punching to any extent?

Just on speed, though essentially a one punch savant, Frazier’s left hook was right up there in terms of velocity and, given a Frazier with a full head of steam, it was indefensible for the majority of the time.

A secondary question might be: What is the minimal number of rounds Joe needs to survive/hang tough before possibly reaching the point of being a 50/50 prospect?

I would love Frazier to take Mike into the deeper waters where Joe’s chances would, imo, increase at an accelerated rate with each and every extra round the fight lasted.

IMO, it would actually lend to quite a terrific fight IF the early round KO outcome was averted.

 

Excellent post. I've spoken about one of your points in particular in the past that people extrapolate from the Frazier-Foreman fights, and assume Tyson would do the same but their are two errors with this.

1. Frazier was somewhat past prime when he lost to Foreman.

More importantly.

2. Tyson fought absolutely nothing like Foreman nor did he have the physical dimensions to pull off Foreman's gameplan. Foreman had a huge height and reach advantage that he used to pull off his ATG factory. Tyson would enjoy none of these. As a matter of fact, Frazier actually has an advantage in both these categories.

50-50 fight imo. Tyson early (which I slightly lean towards) or Frazier late.

I've already used a fight of Frazier's to establish that Tyson isn't necessarily a stystical nightmare for Frazier now let's go to the other side of the coin. Buster Mathis JR employed tactics similar to what Frazier would've done. He swarmed Tyson, tried to make it a phone booth fight, and was bobbing and weaving, and imo exposed some serious deficiencies in Tyson's inside game (as did others earlier In Tyson's career like Ferguson and Bruno but they're not quite as relevant here). Even though Tyson got the KO, he looked very uncomfortable at times, unsure what to do, and struggled quite a bit.

It's not like he was even an old man at this point. He was 29! The same age as Frazier was when he lost to Foreman which is the number one reason people think he loses to Tyson.

Yes he was rusty, and only his 2nd fight back (I'd argue his first really) in 4 years but if this was such a statistical mismatch as many here are making it out to be, it shouldn't have mattered. Mathis wasn't exactly an ATG, and certainly nowhere near the level of Frazier, and most importantly, if this was a one time thing I MIGHT have been able to dismiss it as rust, or cut him some slack but even in his prime, he showed some serious deficiencies inside so this wasn't some one in a million thing.

Holyfield also exposed some serious deficiencies on Tyson's inside game and beat him twice. I'd say Holyfield is far more similar to Frazier than Tyson is to Foreman.

Hmm after writing this essay and thinking it through, I'm going to change my prediction to 55-45 Frazier.

 

Hahahaha King smiling showing 124 shark like teeth.
I can't help thinking of Frazier, Tyson and King from the Simpsons

 

Tyson KO in 5

 

Why does everyone call Joe a slow starter? He chose his pace for the fight and looked better later because he outlasted his man. He started fast in a few fights and took guys out quickly when he wanted to. Mike Tyson struggled on the inside the evidence is in the film I think Frazier could potentially put the hurt on Mike.